Concentrating solar panel

Abstract

A photovoltaic device is disclosed comprising a concentrator and a collector. The concentrator is to concentrate solar energy, and the collector is positioned to receive solar energy from the concentrator. The concentrator comprises a plurality of identical flat linear fresnel prism sheets and the collector comprises a plurality of identical photovoltaic cells. The prism sheets are selected from the group consisting of square prism sheets and regular hexagonal prism sheets, and the cells, in a preferred embodiment, are selected from the group consisting of square cells where the prism sheets comprise square prism sheets and regular hexagonal cells where the prism sheets comprise hexagonal prism sheets. Each of the cells is sized substantially the same as the prism sheets and receives superposed beams of light from the prism sheets, each cell receiving superposed beams of light from four prism sheets where prism sheets are square, and superposed beams of light from six prism sheets where the prism sheets are hexagonal.

1. A photovoltaic device comprising
 a concentrator to concentrate solar energy, said concentrator comprising a plurality of sets of identical flat linear fresnel prism sheets, said prism sheets being selected from the group consisting of identical square prism sheets and identical regular hexagonal prism sheets, and 
 a collector positioned to receive solar energy from the concentrator, said collector comprising a plurality of identical photovoltaic cells, each photovoltaic cell being positioned to receive refracted light from a different set of prism sheets, 
 each photovoltaic cell being selected from the group consisting of a square photovoltaic cell where the prism sheets consist of square prism sheets and a regular hexagonal photovoltaic cell where the prism sheets consist of hexagonal prism sheets, 
 each photovoltaic cell being sized the same as each prism sheet and receiving superposed beams of light from its own set of prism sheets, wherein each photovoltaic cell receives superposed beams of refracted light from only four prism sheets where the photovoltaic cell and prism sheets are square, and wherein each photovoltaic cell receives superposed beams of refracted light from only six prism sheets wherein the photovoltaic cell and prism sheets are hexagonal, 
 and wherein for square prism sheets, the sheets are positioned in a plurality of adjacent cross-shaped sets of 4 to form the concentrator and for hexagonal prism sheets, the sheets are positioned in a plurality of adjacent ring-shaped sets of 6 to form the concentrator, 
 the prism sheets being arranged in a repeating pattern of prism sheet sets. 
 
     
     
       2. A photovoltaic device as in  claim 1  wherein the plurality of flat linear fresnel prism sheets is positioned in a first plane and the plurality of photovoltaic cells is positioned in a second plane which is parallel to and spaced apart from the first plane. 
     
     
       3. A photovoltaic device as in  claim 2  wherein the prism sheets and the photovoltaic cells are square and in the range of 75 to 80 percent of the concentrator comprises fresnel prism sheets, based on area. 
     
     
       4. A photovoltaic device as in  claim 2  wherein the prism sheets consist of hexagonal prism sheets and the photovoltaic cells are hexagonal and in the range of 82 to 87 percent of the concentrator comprises fresnel prism sheets, based on area. 
     
     
       5. A photovoltaic device as in  claim 2  wherein areas in the first plane which are in superposition to the photovoltaic cells are unoccupied by prism sheets.